Ottavio Ziino International Opera Competition

2025 represented an extraordinary edition for the "Ottavio Ziino" Competition. On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the conductor's passing, the Il Villaggio della Musica association chose to bring the final stages to Palermo, the maestro's hometown, while maintaining one of the live audition stages in Rome.

The qualifying rounds took place in person and via video between June and August, with stops in Bucharest, Istanbul, Paris, Liège, Leipzig, Frankfurt, Milan (Teatro alla Scala), Madrid, Vienna, and Rome, involving about 420 candidates from about fifty countries. The semi-finals were held on October 17th and 18th, while the final coincided with the gala concert on October 20th at 6 PM at the Teatro Massimo, with the jury chaired by Marco Betta, superintendent of the Palermo theater, joined by artistic directors and casting managers from La Scala, the Royal Opera House of Muscat, and the Opéra national de Paris.